The Kerala government announced on Tuesday that pilgrims visiting the Sabarimala temple will be allowed to have a smooth darshan (viewing of the deity) even without prior online registration. This change comes in response to widespread opposition to the earlier decision mandating only virtual queue bookings for the pilgrimage.
Addressing the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared that arrangements would be made to ensure that pilgrims without virtual queue bookings can also access the temple smoothly. This assurance was made after Marxist Communist Party (CPI-M) leader K V Jay raised the issue. Vijayan stated, “Those pilgrims who do not have virtual queue bookings or are unaware of the online system will also be ensured a smooth darshan.” He added that similar facilities were provided during the last pilgrimage season as well.
However, the Chief Minister did not clarify whether the ‘spot booking’ system, which allowed bookings on-site last year, would be retained along with the virtual queue booking.
Vijayan mentioned that the option of allowing on-the-spot bookings was discussed during a review meeting on October 5. He further explained that safety measures for a secure and smooth darshan for all visiting pilgrims were also discussed in the meeting.
The virtual queue booking system helps maintain a digital record of pilgrims, ensuring safety in case of accidents or missing persons during the pilgrimage. CM Vijayan noted that many prominent temples, such as Tirupati, have successfully implemented online registration systems. He reminded the assembly that the virtual queue booking system for Sabarimala was first introduced in 2011, following the same model.
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